The Blood Ruby
by faye-amemori
Summary: Jack meets his match in the Meditteranean's fiercest femme scourge. She may be the perfect woman for him...or his worst enemy.
1. The Veiled Stranger

Title: The Blood Ruby  
  
Rating: R (Restricted from Child Viewing)- Violence, Language, Sexuality  
  
Summary: Captain Jack Sparrow agrees to a pact of joint plundering on the Caribbean Sea with the Mediterranean's fearsome pilferer, Captain Amelia Swift. In exchange, she promises to lead him across the Atlantic to legendary riches held by a lost Amazon tribe on the island Bioko. However.things are not all what they seem with this wily femme, and plots run deep against the infamous captain of the Black Pearl.  
  
Disclaimer: As expected, I do not own the characters, storylines, etc. of Pirates of the Caribbean. Disney Rules. HOWEVER! I do own the Captain Amelia Swift, and other such characters unknown to you, but otherwise associated with this story. My express permission is needed to use my stuff.now on with the tale.  
  
Prologue  
  
"I love tha' song. When I get back th' Black Pearl I'm gonna teach it to m' crew.an ' then we'll sing it all th' time."  
  
"And you'll positively be the most feared pirate off the Spanish Main." Elizabeth Swann added with gusto.  
  
Jack Sparrow smiled drunkenly up at the young woman, who like him, was marooned on this bloody little island. They had both collapsed after a rowdy rendition of a pirate's tune brought on by heavy drinking from a stash of rum. The leaping flames of their bonfire played wickedly on his haphazard features.  
  
"Not just the Spanish Main, but the entire ocean.the entire world."  
  
Chapter 1  
  
It had been nearly two years since that night of Jack's marooning.second marooning.and it struck him as rather funny that he should only think of it now. He stumbled slightly on the ill-lit stairway from the upper floor of The Faithful Bride, cursing slightly, as he tried to tuck his shirt into his breeches. He continued down to the lower floor, the sounds of brawling still underway. Snorting, he rubbed his sore left cheek.  
  
His damned, unhappy luck never changed.at least when it came to women. A bunch of half-mad cats, the whole lot. Tortuga sported the best reputation for a blissful night in the arms of its many whores, yet Jack found little solace in their embraces. Hell if he didn't try! Only minutes ago that.what's her name.Lilith or something like that, was fulfilling her bit for a few shillings on top of him. Maybe he lost interest. Maybe he was just sick of the usual one nightstand, but either way she wasn't very happy when he abruptly shoved her off of him. He paid her in full, but she was like some scalded hen just 'cause he didn't want her anymore.  
  
"Bastard!" He cringed slightly as her shrill scream echoed down the stairs. No matter, she'll find someone else for her pleasure, if she's not so desperate for pay it seems.  
  
Gibbs looked up at his captain over the wide brim of his mug. "Tha's quick." Jack slid into a chair, propped his boots on the table, and glared at his first mate from under the brim of his tricorner hat. Gibbs tugged at his ill-kept, grayed whiskers, smoothing them over his fat jowls. His bleary, red-shot eyes stared back nervously. "Sorry, Jack. None of me bus'ness.righ'?"  
  
"Ya can buy me a grog, an' I'll forget all 'bouts it, savvy?"  
  
"Yeah, sure." Gibbs mumbled as he sidled his pudgy build out of his seat, and into the crowd for the barkeep. Jack shifted in his place and crosses his arms over his chest.but uncrosses them again to push away his mess of beads-he really thought he should cut the damn things off, they got in the way-he then crossed them once more and proceeded to eye the tavern a bit.  
  
Same lot as always. He shoved some intoxicated strumpet out of his lap, ignoring her raunchy laugh as she stumbled off for another one. Same old crowd. Same.what ho?  
  
Jack's glance settled on a new unfamiliar group. Rather, he couldn't see how anyone could miss them. They were anything but inconspicuous. A large band of dark fellows, something like the Turks he guessed, sat sullenly about a single figure. Something like a bunch of wild-eyed foreign watchdogs. They looked like statues of the same mold for all he could tell.  
  
The-leader, he guessed-was a bit on the 'interesting' side. Traditional pirate garb, seemingly. Fitted leather breeches.red in color, probably dyed.over rather thin legs. Brown knee boots, and very small feet! Black tunic, large vest, black sash.pistols.a blade.a hideously large-brimmed hat, feathered.and a cloth covering the rogue's face from nose to chin. All propped up much like he was.  
  
"Pfft.copy me do ya? An' why bothering t' hide scars from th' likes o' us?" Jack caught the glint of the fellow's eyes. "Ahhh.now ya notice me starin'." He muttered to himself. Pushing back the hat from his eyes, he grinned, and called out a polite greeting, "Nice scarf lad," he assumed that the fellow was just a boy, "Didja get ya lips blown off by cannon?"  
  
That set it off. The little one's guards swiftly withdrew their curved- blade swords, scimitars, and moved in towards the captain aggressively.  
  
"Enough! Amhad! Take them out now. I don't need you all jumping at every insult, like baboons!" A muffled voiced piped up over the discord brought on by the men. Hissing from unreleased rage, they stomped out of the tavern, herded by another-assumable it was Amhad.  
  
Jack chuckled, not even bothering to budge from his position. "I don' need ya protection, lad." The figure laughed, rose, and sauntered over to seat next to him.  
  
"It would defeat my purposes if we began on the wrong foot, so to say."  
  
"Ya either got guts, boy, or ya jus' plain stupid t' invite ya self like that."  
  
Jack could just imagine the smile snaking under the stranger's cloth covering-if he had lips that is. "Let's just pretend I have guts, and I'll introduce you to a proposition over a drink."  
  
The captain shrugged, "I've already a mug comin'.in fact." Jack looked about the increasing crowd, confusion coloring his features, "where th' devil be Gibbs with me grog?" Growling to himself, he grabbed Gibbs' cup and drained what was left of it. "Well. on wit' ya proposition. I'm not goin' no where at th' moment."  
  
"Good to know, Captain. This may be a little while." 


	2. The Offer

Chapter 2  
  
Jack watched as the person settled into the chair, easy and confident, the gloved hands steepled. A kind of position that grated on his pride, considering his reputation as a fearsome pirate should proceed him far enough that all others give him the respectful reverence he deserved. "As can be seen, probably, my crew and myself are foreigners to your blue waters here. I've made a rather satisfactory reputation for myself in my territory, but I'd rather like to spread it some."  
  
Jack snorted. It was one of those then. Some whelp who wanted claim to his sea! He laughed and ran his fingers over the two braids of his goatee. "No use tryin'. I'm not gonna be schedulin' a sea battle fer ya like a military British moron. If'n ye be wantin' t' lay claim t' me ships-you'll jus' have t' try me on th' waters."  
  
A laugh and a shake of the head were his answer. "Certainly not, Captain! I'm not asking for battle. I'm asking for something much more profitable. A partnership."  
  
"Not interested in tha' either."  
  
"Hasty! You haven't heard me out. It'll be worth your wiles to allow me in on your quests. My ship is sleek and fast. You'll be able to get twice the spoils, and much of the profit. Not to mention my crew and myself will be under your command while we remain in the Caribbean. Plus-a little surprise on my part."  
  
Ah, now this was intriguing, as well too fishy. " Well, Cap'n. As good as tha' all sounds-what makes ya think I'd believe ya won' be tryin' t' do me off once ya got me all secure like."  
  
"What would secure the bonding?"  
  
"Why are ya so insistent?" Now Jack had him. "Wha's th' surprise?"  
  
The stranger tipped the ridiculous hat back a bit, and the scarf about the lower face pulled as lips smiled beneath. "Will that secure your trust, Captain Sparrow? I will gladly tell you the surprise if that is the case."  
  
Jack sniffed slightly. He felt slightly outclassed at the moment, and was decidedly embarrassed by it. Can't let that upstart youth know that! "Yeah.I'll take ye word fer th' safety of me ship if'n ya tell me th' surprise."  
  
"Very well. I run after the merchant ships of Spain, Britain, France and those of the Ottoman just inside the Mediterranean.mostly off of the Gibraltar. It came to my attention there that among the ships there was a tale of a massive treasure, but it was nearly impossible to get to."  
  
"Ah, I think I'm beginnin' t' like this story, now."  
  
A quick nod of the head. "As I hoped, but there is more. The treasure was said to be held under guard of the last, hidden Amazon tribe on the island Bioko. Of course, I did not believe it without proof! Out of boredom, I suppose I ventured to the Northwest Coast of Africa where the island was said to be."  
  
Jack waved his hand about suddenly, "I think I know whatcha getting' at, lad. Ya found the bloody island, but ya couldn' get to th' treasure? An' so ya come t' find the great Captain Jack Sparrow t' get ya the fabled riches? Bah."  
  
Eyes gleamed from the darkness made by the wide brim of the hat. "The treasure is not cured, if that is what you fear."  
  
"I fear nothin' I accept! I'll show ya how ya goes about obtainin' goods."  
  
"Ahhhhh. Pride. Fearlessness. You do not disappoint me, Captain." The figure rose to full height and began to move from the table. "I'll meet you at sun up tomorrow. You may access my ship then."  
  
Jack jumped to his feet, "Now hold on jus' a moment, here! I don' even know who th' devil ya are!"  
  
The small one began to brush past him, not even bothering to give him full attention, "Captain Swift. Good eve." Jack growled, and placed a hand over the stranger's chest to halt- him? He wiggled his fingers over the surface obtaining a shocked gasp from Swift. It was a very well formed chest. Especially suited to a female. Aha!  
  
She hissed. "I ask you to stop that groping!"  
  
"Ye played enough games wit' me woman! Show ya face!"  
  
She faced him full on, and laid the small-gloved hand over the mouth cloth, lingering for a moment before pulling it down. The hat, thank the saints, was tossed aside. Standing in a regal pose, she allowed the captain to view his new partner in full, and she was nothing to complain about physically.  
  
Her hair was midnight black-almost to the point of having blue hues. It curled over her form like errant waves held back from her features by two beaded braids on each side, as well as a cloth band over the crown of her head. Her face was sharp, and a little hard. It suggested at a mixed breeding for her almond-shaped, jade pigmented eyes, high cheekbones, and her golden skin. Her mouth was a kind of full pout, the color of carmine. All this topped an average height, well endowed, toned figure dressed to play the part of a man.  
  
"I am Captain Amelia Swift.."  
  
Jack was shocked immediately. Not the kind of love-at-first-sight silly nonsense, but rather a physical shock at seeing a sensual figure unexpected before his eyes. "Err.Nice face."  
  
Her eyes narrowed slightly, as she swept her unsightly hat from the dusty floorboards, "You can save your poor compliments for some floozy, Captain. I expect to see you promptly. Don't fail me." A grin snaked over her face.  
  
She hurried from his view and out into the night, and at that moment, realization settled in. Jack had been bested into a contract.and by a damned female! He sat slowly into his chair once more, feeling weary.  
  
Gibbs moved into the seat that she had occupied minutes earlier, and placed the long waited tankard before the moody captain. "Sorry 'bout th' wait, Jack. Forgot why I'd gone up there an' drank all yours! No matter.I got ya another one." Jack merely stared at the drink. "An' who was that fetchin' lass ye were talkin' t'? Right look fer a wily hellcat, she was." Jack grunted. "Now what be th' matter with ye?"  
  
"Get th' ship ready, Gibbs. We sail at dawn."  
  
"Aye, Cap'n." Jack's first mate stood once more and left to do his bidding. Jack watched as he left, then watched all those around him. No difference. It was though none of that had happened. He grabbed up the cheap metal tankard and slammed it down, feeling once more that luck was not on his side. And quite frankly, he felt it was his due to blame it all on those blasted-women.  
  
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AN: I want to thank jmajere for being the first to post on my story. I hope more follow soon. I ask that everyone be patient. My writing is VERY sporadic, but I don't like to leave things unfinished if I like them!  
  
I'm also hoping that the readers find this a story that doesn't follow all those usual add-on characters. I'm not trying to make Amelia into some Mary Jane with a crush on the sexy Jack Sparrow and visa versa! Enjoy.and Review. 


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